Bottle cap



April 7, 1942. c. GOODWIN BOTTLE CAP Filed Aug. 4. 1959 INVENTOR ('d/ il? amwm Patented Apr. 7, 1942 Carl W. Goodwin',

rlainceia, N. r., assigner to American Seal-Kap Corporation of Delaware, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application August 4, 1939Serlal No. 288,383

1 Claim.

This invention relates to bottle caps and more particularly to milk bottle caps of the cover-all type.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap of the above type having pressure which may be built up .within the bottle so as to prevent the cap from thereby.

Another object is to provide a vent for releas.

ing the internal pressure fromthe bottle and for preventing contamination thereof due to the entrance of external fluids.

Another object is to provide a novel 'and improved method and means for making a cap of the above type.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed A out more particularly in the claim appended hereitself may be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which certain specific embodiments of the invention have been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a cap forming die illustrating one embodiment of the present invention; l

to, the invention a vent to release fluid being unseatedI of the contents Fig. 2 'is a br-cken .side elevation of the plunger I of the upper die;

Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of the com'- pleted cap;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the lower corrugation ring;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cap;

Fig. 6 is a top plan-view of a modified form of cap showing the inner disc;

Fig. 'l isfa transverse section through the cap normes;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the upper plunger for making thecap of Fig. .6; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the lower corrugation ring for forming the cap ofV Fig. 6.

In the following description and in thev claim certain specific terms are used for convenience in referring to various details of the invention. -These terms are, however,

interpretation as the state ofthe art will permit.

Referring to Fig. l, the invention is shown as applied to a cap of the cover-all type having a bore covering portion or diaphragm I0 provided with an outer annular section II adapted to seat to be given as broad an .vided with recesses on the internal ledgeof a standard milk bottle and 4having a U-shaped pouring lip housing compouring lip to completely cover the same.

The cap Vis preferably formed of a paper which has been pre-treated with paraffin so as to render the same pliable as more fully set forth in the Baum Patent No. 1,668,349, and may be made byupper and lower dies comprising an upper plunger 20 which is adapted to cooperate with a lower plunger 2| to form the diaphragm II) and with a lower corrugation ring 23 to form the sealing flange I2, an upper corrugation ring 22 cooperating with the lower corrugation ring 23 to form the top portion I3, and a skiving ring 24 which is adapted to form the outer skirt I4. The skiving ring 24 may be provided with a recess 25 4which is adapted to form an annular bead 26 on the pouring lip housing in alignment with and forming an extension of the skirt I4. The skiving ring is adapted to compress and compact the stock so as to inter-felt the fibres thereof and produce a dense hornlike structure, as set forth in the above mentioned Baum patent.

A skirt sizing ring 21 may also be provided to engage the lower edge of the skirt for compacting the same and forcing the stock into the recess 25. The upper corrugation ring 22 may be pro- 28 into which the stock is forced by the skirt sizing ring 21 to Aform a plurality of corrugations or beads 29 across the top portion I3 of the cap. The rings 22 and 23 are referred to as corrugation rings inasmuch as they cooperate to form the top portion I3 which, in the form shown, is provided with corrugations 29. It is to be understood, however, that the cap may be formed with a `smooth top, if desired, in which case the rings 22 and 23 may be madewith smooth surfaces.

In'forming the above mentioned cap from a blank, the. plungers 20 and 2| are rst depressed with respect to the corrugation rings 22 and 23, thereby cupping the stock and forming the diaphragm I0 and sealing flange I2. the skiving ring 24 is brought downward to form the outer skirt I4 and the corrugation rings 22 and 23 are brought into pressure engagement to form the top portion I3 of the pouring lip housing. The sizing ring 21 may then be brought into engagement with the bottom of the skirt to com- Thereafter y l `either ofthe two means pact the'stqck and to cause the same to form the annular bead 26 and the corrugations 29.

It is.to be understood that the cap thus far described is of standard construction and only so much thereof has been disclosed as is necessary to a complete understanding of the present invention. A cap of this type and means for making the same are disclosed more in detail in an application of Harold W. Martin, Serial No. 78,361. It will be noted that the walls of the cap are formed under a pressure which is sumcient to interfelt and compact the fibres so as to produce a dense, hornlike structure. The step of applying this pressure to the blank is termed skiving for convenience. The skiving increases the hardness of the material and also reduces the flexibility thereof.

I have found that a vent to permit escape of fluid under pressure from the bottle can be obtained by compacting or skiving portions of the sealing flange to a dense, hard, hornlike, relatively inflexible structure and subjecting ,other parts thereof to a lesser forming pressure so that they become less hard and more susceptible to bending or flexing. The latter parts are thus adapted to ex when, necessary to release pressure within the bottle.

A cap of the above type may be madefor example, by means of dies shown in Figsfz and 4. In this embodiment the upper plunger is provided with a smooth surface as in the usual con- V struction. 'I'he upper part of the lower corrugation ring 23, however, is provided with a plurality of internal recesses 30 which may be milled therein and spaced around the periphery thereof. The portions 3I of the sealing ange reg- `stering with the recesses 30 are less highly compacted than the other portions thereof and are thus made more exible for the purpose above mentioned. They are also less resistant to moisture. and so may absorb moisture and soften somewhat, thereby still further increasing their flexibility. 'Ihe recesses 30 of the corrugation ring are shown in Fig. 4 as made by milling or by depressing the same. The same effect can be obtained, however, by raising or embossing the intermediate surfaces or by a combination of the two metho In this embodiment the inner surface of the sealing ange I2 is cylindrical,v whereas the outer surface is of irregular contour corresponding`to the varying thickness of stock produced by the different compacting pressures on the different portions thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9. In this embodiment the iower corrugation ring 23a is provided with a cylindrical inner surface and the plunger 20a is provided with a plurality of recesses 40 spaced around the lower end thereof in a position to cooperate with the corrugation ring 23a to form the less highly compacted portions of the sealing flange I2. In this embodiment the outer surface of the sealing flange is substantially smooth, whereas irregularities appear on the inner surface due to the dierent compacting forces which are applied to the different portions thereof.

It is to be understood that the different degrees of compressive force can be obtained by above described or by a combination thereof. The difference in thickness and the dimensions of the depressed surfaces have been shown greatly exaggerated for purposes of illustration. In practice, a differ- -ence of about fteen thousandths of an inch In the thickness of the various parts of the sealing flange has been foundto be sumcient for the purpose intended.

In order to securely seat this cap within the pouring lip of the bottle, an inner disc is provided, the periphery of which seats in the lower portion of the sealing ange I2. The disc 35 is adapted to exert pressure for holding the sealing flange I2 in firm engagement with the pouring lip of the bottle. In the embodiment shown the disc 35 is provided with a plurality' of recesses 36 which are disposed opposite the less highly compacted portions 3| of the sealing flange I2 so that these portions are free to flex inwardly due to vpressure which may be developed within the bottle.

This construction permits the cap to deform under pressure so as to provide a vent, but normally provides a complete and effective seal.

Entrance of foreign substances into the bottle is prevented because the cap is in firm engagement with the neck of the bottle except when deformation of the portions 3| takes place due to the accumulated pressure within the bottle.

This cap is particularly designed for use in milk bottle in the summer months when the milk is taken from a refrigerated container and is placed on a door step where it is exposed to the sun. The change in temperature may be sufficient to expand the milk and cause the same to press against the under surface of the cap. If some pressure release means were not provided,

the cap might be unseated and removed from the bottle. In accordance with the present invention, however, the milk is forced outwardly over the inner ledge of the bottle and thence under the pouring lip housing of the cap where it flows down the outer surface of the bottle. Outside materials do not enter the bottle, however, because a positive pressure is required to force the same under the sealing flange. 'I'he cap is, accordingly, sanitary and remains on the bottle under all conditions.

In certain instances the inner disc 35 may be omitted or a circulardisc may be employed provided the same is designed to ailord the necessary clearance to permit the walls of the sealing flange I2 to flex for the purpose above mentioned.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that the invention is capableof various uses and that changes and modifications may be made therein as will'readily appear to a person skilled in the art." The invention is only to be limited in accordance with the following claim when interpreted in view of the prior art.

, compacted What is claimed is:

A milk bottle cap or the like, comprising a diaphragm adapted to seat on the inner ledge of the bottle and having a tending upwardly from the periphery of said diaphragm and adapted to extend over the pouring lip of the bottle, said pouring -lip housing having an inner sealing flange having a substantially cylindrical outer surface adapted normally to engage the inner surface of the pouring lip above said ledge around its entire periphery and devoid of grooves which would form a vent without deformation of the flange, alternate spaced peripheral portions of said sealing ange being to provide a hard,- dense, hornlike highly resistant to iiexure, the other peripheral portions of said sealing structure alternate pouring lip housing ex- Y 2,279,263 Y 3 iiangeV being less highly compacted and being less engaging said compacted portions of said sealing highly resistant to exure -and'suited to deform angeto assist in holding the same in sealing enor ex inwardly in response to -pressure exerted gagement with said pouring lip and having refrom within the bottle so as to provide a vent, cesses adjacent said less highly compacted por` while said rst portions remain in gripping en- 5 tions of said sealing flange to permit exure gagement with said pouring lip to hold'the cap thereof. in place and an inner sealing disc disposed ad- CARL W. GOODWIN. jacent said diaphragm, said disc having portions 

